


You brought the color love

by pickyourselfupfred



Series: Fred and Ginger forever [24]
Category: Astaire/Rogers RPF, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers Movies
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-05-21
Packaged: 2018-03-31 14:02:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3980800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickyourselfupfred/pseuds/pickyourselfupfred
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'I used to be color blind' was the number which gave the world the first proper Fred and Ginger kiss on screen. They carried on kissing in their subsequent movies as if some barrier had now been removed and perhaps it had. She actually did celebrate her birthday during shooting for this routine, I've got a still of her cutting the cake with Fred grinning in the background. Also the original scenario was as I've described. Enjoy my slant on this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You brought the color love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Samantha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samantha/gifts), [OldMoviesAreIt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldMoviesAreIt/gifts).



Unbeknownst to Ginger, Fred had been doing some lobbying on her behalf. This was partly due to him wanting this film to highlight her talents and to be a very happy time for her but it was also related to what he would have to tell her after filming ended.

His behind the scenes work had begun shortly after the script had been sent to him. Originally the dream dance was set to ‘The Night is filled with Music’ and it was described as a high and dizzy routine on top of a building ending with Ginger released from his arms and falling to earth. She would wake from the dream as she fell out of bed.

Fred hated it, not only was it unromantic but with the idea he had in mind it simply wouldn’t work. When he had something bugging him he was like a bulldog and he’d phoned and met with various people including Irving Berlin, the scriptwriters and even Sandrich. His persistence had paid off. The scene had been rewritten to his liking; Berlin had come up with a new song ‘I used to be color blind’ and Sandrich had even said he’d consider filming the sequence in color to fit in with the lyrics.

He bided his time before telling her. A special set was being constructed and they had been busy with filming so he wanted to find the right moment. It came after the day they shot the hypnosis scene in Tony’s office. They’d had a great day; lots of giggles and shooting went well. They’d been very affectionate on set enjoying the whole scenario and when, as Amanda, she moved to kiss Tony he found it hard to keep in character and stop her. Returning to her house they had spent a happy evening listening to the radio, making small talk and catching up on their reading. It had been a punishing, though fun, schedule for the last week and they’d been so exhausted that a goodnight kiss and hug had been their nightly routine recently. A good day at the office and a relaxing evening enabled them to make love that night in the slow and tender way they always enjoyed. They knew every nuance of each other’s body and could mutually satisfy one another easily and afterwards they always liked to talk. Though both were sleepy he started to outline his plan.  
‘Gin, we’ve still got the dream sequence to rehearse’.  
‘I wondered when you’d get round to that, it’s not like you to leave routines till the last minute. Mind you it’s a very strange scene’.  
‘Well that’s just it. I mean would I ever drop you?’  
‘Only occasionally’, she giggled.  
‘Anyway baby I’ve got us a new song and a new setting for the dance’.  
‘Is that my surprise?’  
‘Only part of it sweetie’.  
‘I like your surprises Fred’, she said stroking his cheek.  
‘Well I’ll tell you more tomorrow baby and I’ll guarantee the best is yet to come’.  
She snuggled closer to him and buried her head against his chest murmuring, ‘The best is here right now’.

The following day they were back in rehearsal rooms and Fred played through the song they would now dance to. Ginger leaned over his shoulder and joined in singing the lyrics. As he finished she announced that she loved the sentiments in the words. Fred looked a little embarrassed.  
‘Well I kinda suggested a few ideas to Irving, I mean I do love your beautiful blue eyes Ginge’.  
She kissed the top of his head.  
‘My old man. Now tell me about the rest before I burst. You said you’d asked for the setting to be changed’.  
‘Well I didn’t think it was romantic enough for us. After all the dream’s supposed to make you fall in love with me’.  
‘What a challenge’, she joked.  
‘So I had a chat with the scriptwriters and now it’s going to be a fantasy set and I’ll be like the prince who woos his lady’.  
‘My handsome prince – I like that Fred’.  
‘More like a frog prince’, he retorted.  
‘It’s the face I want to wake up to more than anyone else in the world’.  
He squeezed her tightly.  
‘Oh and in the dance I’m going to try something new. I’ve asked Sandrich to film it in slow motion so we can really see the movements. Plus’, he chuckled, ‘we don’t have to do a long dance – it’ll just look that way’.  
‘Cheapskate. It does sound good though’.  
‘And’, he said proudly, ‘ hopefully we’ll shoot it in color’.  
‘Fantastic. How d’ya get Sandrich to agree to all this?’  
‘I’ve worn him down with persistence’, he grinned, ‘besides there’s something else I want to do’.  
‘What?’  
‘Wait and see Gin –let me tease you a bit longer’.

Their dance rehearsals for the number were the usual mix of fun and hard work. Once again he included a few lifts and also a leap for them both. As his choreography in this film was so unlike his normal work she wondered what was going on, could it be just for her as he knew she loved the feeling of flying through the air. She wanted to ask him but decided to just enjoy it. The routine was soon secure and the ending was perfect as she once more bent back, held in his arms as he almost straddled her.  
‘That’s quite a sexy ending Fred’, she smiled as they did this move for the first time.  
He beamed back at her, ‘Maybe we’ll improve on that’, and gleefully thought to himself, she doesn’t have a clue.

The set for the dance was now ready and he arranged for them to make an evening visit to the sound stage where it had been constructed. The studio was quiet that night and when Fred pushed aside the door they were alone in a fantasy world. She gasped with astonishment and he thought it was pretty fantastic too. Their usual big white deco set was now a world of giant plants, lily pads, mushrooms and grasses and a vision of a fairy tale castle, perfect for dream lovers. They wandered hand in hand through this story land pausing occasionally to comment on the incredible designs.  
‘It’s like Dali crossed with Walt Disney’, he quipped.  
She laughed and pointed out some of the mushrooms.  
‘The way those look we’ll never get this scene past Hays’.  
He nudged her and said naughtily, ‘ Do they remind you of anyone?’  
She looked him up and down, ‘ No one I know’.  
He grabbed her to tickle her but changed it into a loving kiss instead. Afterwards he hugged her very tightly to him and laced his fingers through the loose curls of her hair.  
‘Never forget I love you Gin’.  
‘How could I Fred?’  
‘Just…. Just remember that’, he said quickly and pulled her down onto a grassy bank that was part of the set. She ran her hand across his back.  
‘Fred we’re having such a great time and I know we’re solid but you act as if you’ve something on your mind’.  
She mustn’t know right now he thought and quickly jumped to his feet.  
‘Come on baby; let’s try out the routine while we’re here. That’s all I’ve been thinking about’.  
That, she rationalised was probably the case. He always worried about dances.

She joined him and they walked through the routine choosing where in the set their steps would best fit. As they came to the final part he stopped and spoke.  
‘Ginge, there’s one more bit of choreography I want to add at the end’.  
She grinned, he was always changing steps.  
‘Go on then’.  
‘Well I got the idea a while back then, when we rehearsed Change Partners you did something that fits perfectly with my idea’.  
‘Ok, I’m a genius. Come on’.  
He gathered her to him.  
‘We finish the dance with you leaning back in my arms’.  
She leaned back, not breaking eye contact. He held her gently and said in a quiet voice, ‘You know I adore you and I’m so proud of you. I want the world to see that so I want us to end this dance with a real kiss’.  
Her eyes widened.  
‘Put your arms around my neck and pull yourself up towards me’.  
In her surprise she did just that and they kissed each other with their usual intense passion.

When finally their lips parted she breathlessly said, ‘Some ending’, then, ‘Fred I know you don’t like mushy romantic scenes and the public think we don’t kiss because we don’t like one another’.  
‘Then this’ll put them straight’.  
‘Will Sandrich let us?’  
‘Damn Sandrich, we’re going to have a proper kiss and I don’t care who knows I love you’.  
‘Then’, she added with a wink, ‘we’d better get in some more practice’.  
He showed his agreement by drawing her into his body before kissing her again.

The shooting of the number would take place on Ginger’s birthday. She had remarked on this happy co-incidence not realising Fred had engineered this so their first real screen kiss would be a bonus present for her. He’d woken her that morning with their usual kiss but with an early studio call they’d agree on celebrating properly after work. Sadly Berman had vetoed the color shoot as too expensive but neither of them let this set back dampen their spirits. Reaching RKO it was straight into make up and costume for the routine then blocking and filming the song which went on till lunch. She looked so radiantly happy throughout this session and he delighted in telling her so. Lunch was time for the studio to roll out a gigantic chocolate birthday cake for her, complete with a huge knife with which to cut it. There were gifts from Fred, (a token one) the crew, Pan and the studio bosses and everyone gathered for the singing of Happy Birthday and to share the cake. She was so full of joy that Fred couldn’t stop grinning and when she handed him his slice of cake he mouthed, ‘You look gorgeous baby’ to her and she blew him a kiss.

When they had blocked the dance for camera rehearsal they did everything except for the final kiss. Sandrich knew what they planned and if he had any objections it wasn’t voiced. Just before they got around to the actual filming they stood at the back of the set whilst the crew set up the shot. She turned to him saying, ‘It’s ridiculous Fred, we’ve danced so many times and lord knows how often I’ve kissed you but today I feel like a kid. I’m so excited and so happy you’re doing this for me’.  
They were the words he wanted to hear and he gently squeezed her hand.  
‘You’re my inspiration for everything Gin’.

They hoped to complete it in one take, though, as she pointed out, if the kiss had been in the middle of the routine they could have kept fluffing the take giving them a chance to kiss over and over. They were far too professional however and prepared to do their best.

It was beautiful, they moved like a single entity and she couldn’t stop grinning with pleasure. As the final moment came she pulled herself towards him and he turned his face slightly to respond to her. With the touch of his lips she lost it completely and pulled him in closer, tightly wrapping her arms about him. They held the kiss for the longest time, even after Sandrich called cut. The studio was silent, their raw passion obvious to everyone. The silence continued even after they finally broke from the kiss. 

Fred was first to speak.  
‘Was that ok Mark?’  
The director nodded, ‘Looked good to me but we’d better do another for safety’.  
Fred grinned at her, this was an unexpected bonus. They withdraw to their seats whilst the crew set up again.  
‘Well Fred we’ve blown it now. Sorry I got carried away’.  
‘It was great and I reckon that’s the take we’ll use’.  
‘Everyone had a shock there’.  
‘I don’t really think so sweetie. These guys aren’t stupid’.  
‘It was a fabulous birthday gift, thank you Freddie’.  
They were called back and repeated the dance and the kiss though not quite as intensely as before. Sandrich called it a day and Fred whispered to her as they departed for wardrobe to change, ‘ Now the party really starts’.

When she got home his car was already parked up and, calling his name, she entered the house. When reply came there none she went through to the back yard where he was seated by the pool wearing his favorite lucky bathrobe that seemed to accompany him everywhere.  
‘Hey baby, I thought we could take a swim first’.  
‘Good idea’.  
It was a warm July day and they both skinny-dipped enjoying swimming and splashing and winding down from the high they experienced earlier. Afterwards wrapped in their robes they had a light meal of cold cuts and salad before he mentioned presents. He led her to the den where an enormous box almost filled the room.  
‘What the ….’, she exclaimed.  
‘Pull on the ribbon Gin’.  
She did and the box sides fell open to reveal everything the amateur painter might need. Easel, canvases, cases of paints and brushes and even an artist’s smock. She had remarked a while back that she’d like to try painting and Fred, as ever anxious to indulge her, had seized on the idea. She was about to start rummaging about in the equipment when he said, ‘ There’s something else for you in the bedroom’.  
‘I rather hoped you’d say that’.  
‘Presents, you idiot!’  
He held her hand and took her in. On her dressing table were three small boxes. He sat her down in front of them and said, ‘There’s a note for you to read before you open each one’.  
The first note said, ‘The red in your cheek’. The box contained a ruby choker.  
The second, ‘The gold in your hair’ and inside was a golden bracelet.  
The last, ‘The blue in your eyes’ and sapphire earrings.

Her eyes shining with delight and surprise she pressed against him to kiss her thanks, then, ‘It’s the best birthday I ever had, what a wonderful way to remember this movie. You’re far too generous but boy have you got good taste’.  
‘Nothing’s too good for you and this should be a movie to remember. You’ve made it yours Gin and all your talent is going to be up there for everyone to see’.  
‘We both have talents Fred, just in different directions. But there’s one talent you have’, and she slipped her hand under his robe to caress him intimately, ‘ that I positively adore’.

They disrobed and moved to the bed where she continued to stroke and tease him until he thought he might go insane. She moved over him to kiss him, her hair falling like curtains about his face. As they kissed she felt for him and directed him inside her. They moved in their own special rhythm, savoring each sensation and prolonging the moment as much as they could. She felt his heart fluttering against her breast as their movements quickened until both climaxed almost simultaneously. She lay with her head nestled into his neck whilst he held her still shuddering body, both revelling in the warmth and closeness of each other. They knew before the night was out this would happen again because once was never enough. 

When they rolled to the side to cuddle Ginger smiled and trailed her finger the length of his jaw, ‘You know, making this movie has been like making love with you every hour of every day’.  
He held her very tightly and thought a terrible thought…….’What have I done?’


End file.
